By: JC Nevils
I can’t believe the regular season has come and went by so fast, but
it always seems that way. Now we look forward to the postseason
with tons of exciting bowl matchups for fans all over to watch.
Whether you had the season you wanted or not, you can still finish
with a bang. Here are my most exciting matchups for the postseason
before the College Football Playoffs begin.
1. DirecTV Holiday Bowl (Dec 27, 2023)
Louisville vs USC
Some might say this game has lost a lot of luster, given
how both teams have ended their seasons. A couple of weeks before,
Louisville was arguably one of the hottest teams in the country with
a 10-1 record going into the last week of the regular season, but they
lost to their hated rival Kentucky and lost this past week’s ACC
championship game to Florida State in lackluster fashion.
Meanwhile, USC has come off the tracks with the firing of DC Alex
Grinch Midseason, finishing the season 7-6, and Caleb Williams
opting not to participate in the bowl game. All in all, both teams still
have exciting players, and you never know what will happen during
bowl season.
2. Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (Dec 29, 2023)
Missouri vs Ohio State
I certainly didn’t have this as a matchup that would be
possible at the end of the year, but Missouri has had one of its best
seasons in program history. They’ve only had seven double-digit
winning seasons, including this year. With Doak Walker finalist
Cody Schrader along with Luther Burden being one of the best
wideouts in the country, they should put up numbers.
On the other end, Ohio State lost their last game of the season to
Michigan, which, of course, put them out of the playoffs. Not only
are they still stung from that game, but they have lost numerous players
to the transfer portal recently, with one of them being starting
quarterback Kyle McCord. While that may be true, there is talent
all over the field, and we should expect a great game.
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3. Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl (Dec 30, 2023)
Ole Miss vs Penn State
This one is the battle of offensive fireworks and defensive
toughness. Ole Miss has one of the most electrifying offenses in the
country, while Penn State holds one of the best and stingiest
defenses in all the land. Ole Miss averages 34.8 points per game,
almost 200 yards on the ground, and almost 300 through the air for a
total of 455 yards per game.
Meanwhile, Penn State only allows 11.4 points per game, 69.7 on the
ground, and 153.6 through the air. I see this game coming to a stale
mate. Whoever gets the edge early along with the crowd, that
could be the difference. Then again, you never know with bowl
season.
4. Capital One Orange Bowl (Dec 30, 2023)
Georgia vs Florida State
All season long, these two teams have been atop their
conferences along with the polls up until the very last weekend
before postseason play. Georgia was coming off back-to-back
national titles along with a 20 plus game win streak before falling to
the Crimson Tide in the SEC championship.
Florida State was well on its way to the College Football Playoff
before Jordan Travis was lost to a tragic leg injury, which ended his
season and the Seminoles’ hopes and dreams. Still, they had a
chance to make a statement without him in the ACC championship, along with maybe winning some style points. Unfortunately, that
didn’t quite happen.
While they did win, it looked putrid, which was the main
reason why they were left out of the four. Now we sit with two
teams whom some say should still be in the playoffs in the Orange
bowl instead. Both teams have too much tradition and pride for it
not to be a battle, in my opinion, so tune in.
5. VRBO Fiesta Bowl (Jan 1, 2024)
Liberty vs Oregon
This matchup has the chance to be the most exciting of
them all. We have a Liberty squad led by former Tennessee transfer Kaidon Salter, who is having one heck of a season. He has thrown
for 2,750 yards and 31 touchdowns through the air while rushing
for 1,064 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. If he were at a
different school, he could have very well been one of the finalists during
the Heisman ceremony last night.
With that being said, Oregon had their own finalist representing them in New York this weekend, quarterback Bo Nix. Nix’s 2023 season will be long remembered in Eugene. This year, he has led the ducks in every which way, throwing
for 4,145 yards and 40 touchdowns while also adding 228 along
with six scores on the ground. Some pundits may think his numbers
are a little hollow, but all he does is produce. I see this one being a
shootout with the last team to have the ball winning. Happy New
Year, Folks.
